Shooting simulator safely trains authorities

Authorities in the Flathead have a safe new way of training for dangerous situations.

Multiple law enforcement agencies now have access to a shooting simulator that puts officers in multiple scenarios from domestic violence to a car-jacking.

The officers respond and interact with the videos, and an operator of the program chooses various outcomes that an officer may face to see how they would react.

All of the local law enforcement agencies believe that the simulator will help improve the quality of work officers can do while in the field.

“By adding all the scenarios we have in here, the ThreatFire system, that only increases their awareness, their level of what's going on,” said Terry Mitton, a reserve police officer for the City of Kalispell, who is also the Human Resources director for the city.

“It will protect them as well because of the fact that they're going to learn to be more observant looking around 300-degrees and that type of stuff," said Mitton.

Northwest Shooter in Columbia Falls, where the simulator is located, is also adding a 50-yard tactical range to the facility. They plan on holding an open house for the public, where people will get an opportunity to use the simulator and new range.

Copyright 2013 by KECI, KCFW, KTVM. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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